Last Saturday, on Oct 3, Malaysians from all walks of life, from the very young to the very old irrespective of race, took part in a ‘gotong-royong’ at Bukit Gasing which was jointly organised by Friends of Gasing Hill and the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ).

The event - which was to plant 350 trees - was directed by PJ councillor Derek Fernandez. The ‘gotong-royong’ was undertaken after a forest fire in early May this year wiped out certain parts of the forest.

What I cherished most about the whole tree-planting thing was that it was done voluntarily by Saturday morning joggers and trekkers out for their weekly excursion. Everyone chipped in to carry a plant or two from the gathering point into the forest.

The event brought a sense of oneness, camaderie and smiles between strangers all out to do common good.

There was also a mother with her two young sons between the ages of four and six who not only took time to explain to them the reason for the tree-planting but got both boys to carry a small plant each into the forest.

Those who took part in the event would have also felt a sense of pride to be a Malaysian. It gave the volunteers a break from the nitty-gritty of daily life, and away from the politics that seems to forced us to choose sides creating animosity instead.

More such ‘gotong-royong’ as was organised should take place to bring Malaysians together. If anyone wanted to know what ‘1Malaysia’ is all about, then last Saturday was it.

The federal government is good at coming up with all kinds of slogans but is lost when it comes to implementation.

The federal government should emulate the actions by Friends of Gasing Hill and MBPJ. They not only managed to bring the people of different races together, but at the same time to love nature, educate and help in the recuperation of the forest.

Politics or any affiliation to any political party was never mentioned, thus bringing people from both sides of the political divide together in the ‘gotong-royong’. A lot can be learnt from here.

Syabas indeed to the organisers. To those who had missed out on last Saturday's event, fret not, for there is another round of a tree planting ‘gotong-royong’ organised this coming Saturday, Oct 10 at the entrance to the Gasing Hill jungle trail.

What better way to exercise and sweat it out while doing a good deed at the same time.